


Sympathy for the Sides (A Collection of Ficlets)

by cathema



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Both romantic and platonic relationships, M/M, Mostly Janus fics because he's my favorite, Sanders Sides ficlets, Some stories I've written that I can't turn into a full fic, Will add more tags and characters eventually
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-26
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:47:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25528420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cathema/pseuds/cathema
Summary: A collection of short stories on the Sanders Sides.--First story: Tea in the Garden // Janus and Patton have a talk about repression after the events of the April 13 wedding.Second story: The Dream Room // Roman discovers something he didn't know about Janus. Janus, in turn, is taken to the Dream Room for the first time.
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders/Deceit | Janus Sanders, Deceit | Janus Sanders & Morality | Patton Sanders
Comments: 3
Kudos: 33





	1. Tea in the Garden (Platonic Moceit)

**Author's Note:**

> Janus and Patton have a talk about repression after the events of the April 13 wedding.

In all the years since his inception, Janus has never had visitors in his room. No one dared to enter his cozy little abode, afraid of the “evils” and “fiendish spirits” he supposedly kept within it—which absolutely wasn’t the case. In fact, the only “fiendish” thing, if you could call it that, he had in his room was a deer skull he hung atop his fireplace. But he hardly minded the false judgment; because if it meant uninterrupted periods of enjoying his time reading a book on his leather chair while listening to the soft hums of his record player in peace, then he’d gladly accept being steered clear of.

This is why he finds himself completely off-guard when he senses a figure suddenly appearing at the back of his room.

“Who—”

“Hey, Janus!” Patton says, waving enthusiastically.

Janus blinks. “Is there something you need?”

“Oh, well...” Patton drawls out as he clasps his hands together. “I realized, you know, that I’ve never been to your room before and just thought of dropping in!”

Janus stares at him blankly.

“Let’s see...well, it’s a tad too dark to see. And—oh! What a lovely, uhm, deer skull you have on that wall over there...”

Patton is stalling. Janus could see it in his movements—the way he looks wildly around the room and never on Janus’s eyes, the way he wrings his fingers, the way he shuffles his feet on the ground. On any normal day, Janus would have loved to watch a Side shift awkwardly while telling a blatant lie right in front of his face, but this is Patton, and Janus has had enough of watching the poor guy suffer.

And so, with a loud groan, he waves his hand and brings Patton and himself in the middle of a verdant garden where, beside a calm stream, stood a small table, two chairs, and tea set.

Patton beams excitedly. “Oh, Janus! This—”

“Enough chit-chat, Pat.” Janus shoves Patton down the chair and takes the seat across him. “Let’s talk about why you’re really here.”

“Talk?”

“Oh, like I’m supposed to act like you really wanted to spend time with _me_ out of all the others,” Janus chuckles, waving his hand once again to conjure a glass of wine. He takes a sip and looks at Patton. For a brief moment, he falters—unprepared by the forlorn expression on Patton’s face.

Almost instantly, Patton masks his accidental show of vulnerability with a smile. “Oh, don’t say that! I’m sure even _you_ need someone to check up on you from time to time!”

Janus sighs. He debates whether to be frank and call Patton out on his bullshit. He instead tries to gently nudge the guy in the right direction. “So you’ve checked in on the others too? Alright, Patton, spill the tea; I’m _dying_ to know how terrible they’re all feeling.”

“You mean... _tea_ -rrible?”

Ah, humor as a coping mechanism—Janus’s least favorite thing. “ _Do_ continue making those jokes, Patton. I _definitely_ can’t see through your act.”

Patton winces.

“I know you’re having a tea party with the Lord of the Lies himself, but that doesn’t mean you should keep up with the deception too.” A sharp blow, Janus knows, but if Patton is this unwilling to be honest with him, then Janus had to be.

Janus is fully aware of the complete mess it’s been inside Thomas’s mind. For the first time in a long time, Thomas has spoken to no one and the Sides have willingly respected his wishes to be left alone. As a consequence, everyone has been left to their own devices to deal with the disastrous aftermath of the post-wedding debate. And while Janus is used to being scorned and avoided, he understands how difficult it has been for the rest of them to suddenly have such a strained relationship with one another. He understands how distressing it is, most especially, to Patton.

Patton stays quiet, staring down at the untouched teapot in the middle of the table.

With a sigh, he says, “I just wish I could do something for all of them, you know? Take away their pain, their anger...but Roman and Virgil won’t see anyone in their rooms, I’m afraid of approaching Logan, and I’m still embarrassed to talk to Thomas.” He laughs bitterly. “It’s all my fault and I can’t even fix any of it.”

Janus clicks his tongue. “You’re a stubborn one, aren’t you?”

Patton lifts his head with a quirked eyebrow.

“You should not bear the weight of other people’s suffering on your own, especially not when you yourself are struggling. Remember what I told Thomas? That he should find time to take a mental health break and focus on himself? That’s what you should be doing too, Patton.”

Janus leans his chin on the palm of his propped arm. “You speak as if you’re responsible for the sadness of others. That’s their problem to overcome. We’ve learned that putting yourself first is just as important, because can you truly expect to give and give to others and leave nothing for yourself? That’s unhealthy, Patton.”

Patton wrestles with what to say, but Janus cuts him off.

“I know you love them, but you need to look out for yourself too. When you suffer, we all do too. It’s time to forgive yourself and heal.” Janus reaches over the table to place his gloved hand on top of Patton’s. “And you can start by admitting to yourself that you need help. Can you do that?”

Patton looks at him with uncertainty. Then, slowly, he nods. “I‘ve been trying so hard to be strong.”

He removes his glasses to bury his face on the palm of his other hand. “Everything hurts, Janus,” he whispers.

Janus nods back. “Forgive yourself, and then you can heal.”

Patton wipes the tears that have rolled down his cheeks. “Is it okay to ask for a hug?”

“Oh,” Janus cringes. He definitely was not a fan of physical touch. But he’d be the biggest jerk in the universe if he denied a broken man some comfort. And so, he stood, walked over to Patton’s side, and enveloped him in an awkward embrace.

“Thank you,” Patton laughs weakly as he pulls away from Janus’s arms. “I’m sorry for all the trouble.”

Janus shrugs. “Anything for Thomas.”

He is gaped at briefly by Patton who, after a few seconds of speechlessness, wipes the rest of his tears away, fixes his hair, and beams a genuine grin. He echoes, “Anything for Thomas.”

Janus smiles at that.


	2. The Dream Room (Roceit)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Roman discovers something he didn't know about Janus. Janus, in turn, is taken to the Dream Room for the first time.

Roman’s footsteps were slow and quiet. He held onto his sword on his left hand, tightening his grip with resolve as he inched closer to the strange sound he heard down the hallway.

A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead and he licked his lips; whatever the thing was that was making the loud noise seemed to be just around the corner—growling and gurgling with all its might.

Roman didn’t stop to think what it could be: was it a demon that came to eat away at Thomas’s mental health? A shadow of self-doubt and insecurity? A monster of what-ifs and existentialism? Whatever it was, Roman was lucky to have been in the area to vanquish the foe and keep Thomas, who was currently getting his beauty rest, unharmed.

He reached the edge of the wall and took deep breaths to calm his nerves. One wrong move and he could be dead meat. The very thought of not knowing what lurked beyond was exhilarating, and yet it terrified him all the same.

A count to ten. A steady arm. A look of sheer will and bravery.

Roman jumped out from the corner prepared to strike—

—and there, right in front of him, was no beast nor foe; just Janus staring at him with a look of confusion as he held up a vacuum cleaner.

Roman blinked and sheepishly vanished the sword with a swift wave of his hand. “What are you doing?” he asked.

Janus slowly furrowed his brows. “Baking a pie. What does it look like I’m doing?”

Roman faltered. “I honestly have no idea.”

“I’m cleaning the mindspace,” Janus shook the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner with emphasis. “Getting rid of the dirt and cobwebs here and there, as usual.”

“ _As usual?_ You do this often?”

“Who else do you think does it?”

Roman’s face crumpled with a mix of surprise and guilt. With a huff, Janus turned on the machine and continued sucking up the dust that Roman now realized the floors and walls were coated in. He never noticed it when he pranced around the mindspace; it just always seemed so pristine and clean, and he assumed it had _always_ been like that. He never would have guessed that someone was maintaining it. He never would have guessed it to be Janus.

“I didn’t think it would be you,” Roman replied, walking towards his companion.

“I _am_ self-preservation,” Janus said. “It’s my job to care for Thomas’s mental health, more than Logan is capable of.”

“And yet you always seem to end up losing your things…”

“I—” Janus took a step back, his face reddening much to Roman’s surprise. “I don’t _lose_ them, they just end up _lost_.”

Roman laughed heartily at that. “Sure, sure. Need help?”

Janus paused and gave him a look. “I am _absolutely_ capable of doing this by _myself_ , your Highness. I _do not_ appreciate your aid _at all_.”

Roman frowned and almost turned on his heel to walk away, but froze as his brain whirred in thought. “Wait, so you _do_ want help, or…?”

Janus rolled his eyes and sighed. “Were you _not_ on your way to somewhere?”

“Nah, it can wait.” With a flourish, Roman summoned another vacuum cleaner—bigger, flashier, and adorned with crystals. “It is my duty to assist anyone in need!”

“Oh my,” Janus smirked, “a dashing prince like you helping a lowly simpleton like me? I’m _honored._ ”

Roman stuck out his tongue and began to clean.

It took less than half an hour before the hallway was completely spotless and gleaming.

“Anywhere else?” Roman asked, swinging the nozzle of his vacuum.

Janus shrugged. “None at all, unless you useless lot managed to forget to wash your own dishes again.”

“As a matter of fact, we _didn’t_ forget.” Roman paused. “And I won’t ever from now on. I can’t believe you _wash_ our dishes too!”

Ignoring Roman’s whine, Janus waved his hand and the vacuum cleaners vanished. “You may now carry on with whatever you were doing,” he said with a slight tip of his hat.

“Where are you going?” Roman asked with a quirk of an eyebrow.

“Here, there, everywhere,” Janus gestured vaguely. Roman snickered.

“Okay, John Lie-nnon. Spare a minute to help me then?”

“Me? Help _you_? What a dream come true.”

Before Janus could further protest, Roman slung his arm around his shoulders and dragged him towards the direction he initially meant to go. It didn’t take long before they reached a room with a grand white double door with glistening golden trim. Roman pulled open the handle and bowed towards Janus. “After you, good sir!”

Janus shook his head in amusement. “My pleasure.”

When he entered the room, he didn’t expect to be…underwhelmed. The walls were completely blank and there was nothing but a small marble column in the middle which held up a clear orb.

Roman closed the doors behind them and excitedly strode towards the orb. Janus watched him pick it up carefully, admiring it with an awe he could not relate to.

“What is that?” he said.

“You don’t know what this room is?” Roman replied with genuine surprise. “Well, you’re in for a show then!”

With his arm outstretched, Roman took a deep breath. Suddenly, the orb slowly glowed and filled the empty room with a bright light. Wisps of color began to dance around the orb, then around Roman, until they painted the air with a magnificent rainbow.

Janus’s jaw dropped as the colors blended together to form a scene: a verdant forest teeming with life, where animals roamed and birds sang and flowers bloomed to the warm rays of the sun. From a distance, a horse galloped and, on it, was Thomas—bright-eyed and happy—as he explored this beautiful land of Roman’s creation.

It was then when he realized.

“This is where you create his dreams,” he whispered in awe.

Roman grinned. “Would you like to try?”

Janus hesitated. “ _Me_?”

“Come on, don’t pretend that you don’t want to.”

“I obviously _don’t_ want to,” Janus chewed on his lip. “What if I do something…wrong?”

Roman laughed. “Then I’ll make it right, of course.”

Janus was unconvinced.

“It’s just a dream, Severus Snake. As long as you aren’t Remus or Virgil, I’m sure Thomas will be fine with whatever you choose to construct in his slumber.” Roman held out the orb towards Janus.

With a shaky breath, Janus accepted it.

It was rather light for something that looked like it could weigh a ton. He thought about what sort of dream he could create for Thomas. He couldn’t deny that he had some ounce of Creativity inside him—of course he did, otherwise how could his lies be that effective?—but was completely at a loss over what to do at that moment.

He looked at the display before him. A fairy tale, he snorted. Of course, only Roman could think of something as boring and mundane as that. Then, an idea popped into his head.

He grinned as he concentrated on the orb. The bright colors quickly faded into blacks and silvers and gold as the scene transformed from lush woodland to a dark room filled with stools, alcohol, and people dressed to the nines.

A spotlight suddenly flashed and shone on a masked man who slithered on stage with a saxophone at hand. “For the coolest cat in the audience, Thomas,” the singer purred on the microphone. Then, jazz music blared from the speakers as a swanky-looking Thomas twirled and danced in the middle of the room.

Roman’s whistle shook Janus out of his reverie. “Quality work, Jan,” he said, bumping his shoulder on Janus’s.

“Anything to get him out of that boring fairytale you insist on placing him in every night,” Janus smirked.

Roman’s face reddened. “Hey! He loves that!”

“ _Every night?_ Sure.”

“Not _every night_ , it’s just—” Roman sucked in his breath. “Well, you’re here for the first time and I wanted to impress you with my greatest material.”

Janus’s face faltered in guilt. Roman had wanted to impress him, and yet he called it anything but what it truly was—magical.

They watched the whole scene in silence.

Then, Janus said quietly, “He probably won’t remember this when he wakes up anyway.”

Roman hummed in agreement. “But it hardly matters to me.”

Janus looked at him.

“It’s enough _knowing_ he was happy here,” Roman continued. “And knowing that he’ll wake up in the morning with a smile on his face because he had felt _safe_ in his sleep. Safe in his dreams. Even if he doesn’t remember them.”

There was a sparkle in Roman’s eye that Janus couldn’t help staring at. _What a wonder he is_ , Janus thought to himself _, to be so full of love and yet feel like he’s never enough._

Janus shook his head and patted Roman’s back. “I very much _abhor_ this experience. I _do not_ want to do it again.”

Roman beamed. “You can come by anytime you like.”

“Really?”

“Well, I’m trying to learn how to…err, be open to collaboration on my creative projects.” Roman rubbed the back of his neck. “To ‘humble’ myself down? So…you’re welcome to help.”

Janus tapped his chin in faux hesitation. “Hmm, I don’t know. Lots of places to clean, lots of dishes to wash…”

Roman rolled his eyes. “Alright, I’ll help you with those too.”

Janus grinned. “Perfect,” he hissed. “I look forward to our partnership, _mon amour_.”

Before Roman could realize it, Janus took his hand and bowed to plant a chaste kiss on it. He’s had townspeople, villains, and suitors from his kingdom of Imagination bow and kiss his knuckle like this, but none have felt as real and as electrifying than what Janus had done.

Roman felt his cheeks blush and he willed himself to joke, “’Til the morning, my love.”

Janus froze for a split second before he chuckled and turned away. “’Til the morning.”

And Roman watched him stride away, out the doors, leaving him alone with the smoke, the music, and the beating of his heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to write my headcanon that Janus is the one responsible for cleaning up the mindscape (a part of his function as self-preservation). It then turned into this cute little fic that I might write a part 2 of eventually.


End file.
